Safety Rules for Flash Flood Warning

...Safety Rules For Flash Floods--For Media to Broadcast...

Flash Flood Warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service in Louisville, Kentucky. The following safety tips are provided for the media to broadcast while the watch affects their area. On average, floods kill more people in the United States each year than any other type of hazardous weather.

Flash floods normally occur within 6 hours of a rain event, after a dam or levee failure, or following a sudden release of water held by an ice or debris jam. Flash floods can catch people unprepared. You will not always have a warning that these deadly, sudden floods are coming. If you live in a flash flood prone area, plan now to protect your family and property.

Many flood-related deaths are due to careless or unsuspecting motorists who attempt to cross flooded roadways. The National Weather Service now warns anyone who comes to a flooded roadway to...Turn Around, Don't Drown! Less than two feet of water on a bridge or highway can float most vehicles when the buoyancy force of the water becomes greater than the vehicle weight, eliminating any frictional force between the wheels and the road. A car, truck, or sport utility vehicle can be swept off a road into a stream if the water is moving rapidly.

If a Flash Flood Warning is issued for your area:

1.) Drive only if absolutely necessary. Do not attempt to drive through a flooded road. The depth of the water is not always obvious. The road bed may be washed out under the water, and you could be stranded or trapped.

2.) Never drive around a barricade, which is there for your protection. Be especially cautious at night, when it is harder to recognize flood dangers.

3.) If you come upon a flowing stream where fast moving water is above your ankles, turn around, don't drown. Six inches of swift-moving water can knock you off your feet. Many people are swept away wading through flood waters, resulting in injury or death.

4.) Children should never play around high water, storm drains, or viaducts. It is very easy to be swept away by fast-moving water.

Remember, on average, floods kill more people in the United States than any other type of hazardous weather.